Islanders coach applies for UT-Pan Am job

CORPUS CHRISTI - Robert Robinson admits he applied for the Texas-Pan American women’s basketball coaching job. He was just a little surprised his name was one of seven applicants released by the university.

Robinson, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi’s coach, was interested in the vacancy created when UTPA head coach DeAnn Craft left. He had not heard one thing from the university, but UTPA released the names this weekend of seven candidates to the McAllen Monitor, including Robinson.

“I’m a little surprised,” Robinson said. “I haven’t heard a thing from them. No phone call. No e-mail. Nothing. I wouldn’t put a lot of stock in this. I’m sure they had more than seven candidates. I’m not sure why they just released seven.”

Robinson said he did not want to elaborate on why he applied for a job with an independent program, possibly leaving the Southland Conference-based Islanders.

“I’ve got my reasons,” Robinson said.

Ricky Vaughn, the interim athletic director at UTPA, told the Monitor that he expected a search committee to be formed this week.

The coaching search might not have been the first thing on the table for Vaughn and the program. The Broncs’ athletic department recently hired a new men’s basketball coach and has been busy with an internal investigation launched this past fall into possible NCAA violations committed by the men’s basketball program.